1. AND HERE WE GOThe Flyers and Kings both kick off 50th anniversary celebrations… This is also the first time the Flyers are opening a season in California since their first season (Oct. 11, 1967 - California Seals)… The Flyers have dropped four straight and own a 21-19-8 overall record in season opening games… This is the Kings home opener but second game of the season, losing 2-1 at San Jose to start the year… LA is 23-17-4 but has lost home openers for four straight seasons.

2. BUT BEFORE WE GET STARTEDThe Flyers went 4-2-2 in the preseason, not losing in regulation in their last six games, while the Kings went 3-4-1 and dropped four of their last five… Defenseman Tom Gilbert led the Kings during the preseason with five points, all assists, in five games, while rookie Travis Konecny led the Flyers with six points (3g-3a) in six games, which also tied for fourth in the NHL.

3. LAST & PAST YEARSThe Flyers dropped both games to the Kings last season, both by one-goal margins, and four of the seven goals in the series were all scored in the first period - all seven goals came from seven different players… Jakub Voracek led the Flyers with three assists in two games, while defenseman Jake Muzzin led LA with two assists… Over the last 16 years, the Flyers are 8-2-1 playing at LA.

4. NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'TThe Flyers could have five players make their Flyers debut (Boyd Gordon, Travis Konecny, Roman Lyubimov, Ivan Provorov & Dale Weise) … Provorov & Konecny will play in their first NHL game and should he be in the lineup, Lyubimov will also play his first NHL game… Michael Del Zotto (injured), Radko Gudas (suspended) and Scott Laughton (injured) and Brayden Schenn (suspended) are out for the Flyers, while Jonathan Quick, Marian Gaborik (injured) and Tanner Pearson (suspended) are out for the Kings.

5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:

FLYERS (C: #28 - Claude Giroux): Giroux has the most points of any player in the NHL since 2010-11 (443) AND most power-play points (179) of any player in that span… He also averages nearly a point per game against LA with 10 points (3g-7a) in 11 games… Giroux (517 pts) needs one point to tie Gary Dornhoefer for 11th on the Flyers all-time scoring list.

KINGS (C: #11 - Anze Kopitar): Kopitar enters this season as the LA Kings captain, replacing center Dustin Brown… Kopitar is the reigning NHL Selke Trophy Winner as the best defensive forward in the NHL after producing 74 points and a +34 rating, which ranked 2nd in the NHL … Kopitar has also led the Kings in scoring every year since 2007-08, a span of nine seasons.

TODAY AT 50The Flyers and Kings played exactly 49 seasons ago to this date in 1967… It was the Kings first ever game, while it was the Flyers second game… The Flyers scored the first two goals of the game, before the Kings scored four straight to win, 4-2… The Kings also outshot the Flyers, 38-16.